This invention relates to an improved shoulder rest for a stringed instrument, including but not limited to, violin or viola. Shoulder rest devices are used for support and cushioning between the back of the string instrument and the player's shoulder while the instrument is being played. The shoulder rest disclosed in the present invention is designed specifically to give each player the ability to easily customize his or her own rest. It is made in several sizes to fit instruments of any size, and can comfortably accommodate the individual physical dimensions of any player as well as the way each player holds the instrument. Simple to use, it is completely height- and angle-adjustable and conforms to the contour of each individual's body. Its attachment is completely stable yet allows for placement in different positions on the instrument, and is easy to take on and off.
In particular, the shoulder rest is removably mounted lengthwise to the stringed musical instrument by means of two elastic loops. The detachable end of one loop is looped over the shoulder junction and under the fingerboard to be reattached at the origin by means of a hook and loop material, such as Velcro(TM), tab. The other fixed loop goes around the chinrest. The use of an elastic or stretchable member permits the shoulder rest of the present invention to be mounted on stringed instruments lengthwise. This unique lengthwise attachment counters the side to side pulls which occur when one plays, resulting in stability. An adjustable, multiposition pocket enables the shoulder rest to fit any individual player, regardless of the specific physical dimensions of the player, such as neck length or configuration of shoulders, and the particular way the individual holds the instrument.
Shoulder rests have been used in the prior art to promote comfort to the player while the instrument is played, and to provide support to the instrument to facilitate playing. The shoulder rest is usually secured to the back of the violin or other stringed instrument to provide a surface which rests on the player's shoulder.
Prior art shoulder rests have frequently provided for a fixed securement of the device to a single, predetermined spot along the back of the string instrument, by means of devices such as clamp plates, clamping forks, mounting plates, screws, pivots, and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,893 discloses a shoulder rest which is attached to the instrument by means of clamping members, pedestals, and springs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,509 discloses a shoulder rest which is secured by means of the clamp plate of a conventional chin rest. In the shoulder rest disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,409, the support piece is rigidly attached by means of clamping pieces to a rigid arm which is fastened to the base of the chinrest. These rigidly secured shoulder rests usually contain some type of adjustment means for varying the spacing and the inclination between the shoulder rest and the back of the instrument.
Such rigidly affixed shoulder rests, however, can be located only in relatively few positions along the back of the instrument. They also offer a relatively small range of possible height and angle adjustment. The player is thereby deprived of the possibility of choosing the position of the shoulder rest at the back of the instrument which would provide optimal comfort for his or her specific physical characteristics and for choosing the exact height and angle. Therefore, the player must usually compromise his or her comfort.
Shoulder rests which are rigidly secured to an instrument have other serious drawbacks. For example, most rigidly affixed shoulder rests engage a substantial portion of the underside of the instrument. This causes the sound emanating from the instrument to be absorbed and muffled to some degree. Rigid mounting structures for shoulder rests thereby adversely affect the tonal quality and resonance of the instrument. Another drawback of rigid mounting structures is the potential for the slippage and falling off of screws or plates or the like. They can also damage the surface finish of the instrument. Further, rigid shoulder rests can create pressure points where they contact the player's body.
It is therefore an object of the current invention to provide a new design for a shoulder rest, which is formulated specifically to give each player the ability to easily customize his or her own rest.
It is another object of this invention to provide a shoulder rest for a string instrument which can be placed at any position on the instrument desired by the player for optimal comfort.
It is another object of this invention to provide a shoulder rest which has a completely stable attachment, and yet is easy to take on and off
It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoulder rest which is capable of being attached to and removed from a stringed musical instrument without the use of metal clamps and screws or the like which may mar the surface of the instrument, and which are likely to interfere with the proper vibrations of the sounding boards or resonating chamber of the instrument, thereby adversely affecting the tonal quality of the instrument.
It is further object of this invention to provide a shoulder rest which can be fitted with foam inserts of the desired size or that can be adjusted to the desired size, and thereby is completely height- and angle-adjustable, while conforming to the contour of each individual player's body, providing a lightweight but broad base of support and eliminating pressure points.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoulder rest for a stringed instrument which attaches lengthwise to counter the natural sideways pulls which occur while playing, providing stability. This is accomplished by means of stretchable elastic loops which go (1) over the shoulder junction and under the fingerboard of an instrument to reattach at the base by means of a hook and loop material tab and (2) over the chinrest.